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Is that yours? Look like a serious bit of kit for not that much money if you ask me. Must be a catch that I can't see?
Gaz_
ClioSport Club Member
Extreme mode
I've had x2 172 cups a 182, standard 197 and now a 197 cup
197 every time for me. Yes the mk2 might feel a bit more 'brutal' (especially the cups) but that's it. The mk2 is no quicker in my experience having come across the odd one whilst out and a bout. I return 29/30 mpg, and it does get driven. Gear box is a peach if you're lucky with a good one, they also really benefit from regular oil changes, much improved feel. It likes to be revved without feeling the whole drive train is from a Renault 5 like the mk2, it really feels a gruff machine IMO now.
If it was a car for commuting in heavy traffic I'd look at something else though, mpg takes a real hit in crawling traffic. They are made for nice a/b road driving.
197 every time for me. Yes the mk2 might feel a bit more 'brutal' (especially the cups) but that's it. The mk2 is no quicker in my experience having come across the odd one whilst out and a bout. I return 29/30 mpg, and it does get driven. Gear box is a peach if you're lucky with a good one, they also really benefit from regular oil changes, much improved feel. It likes to be revved without feeling the whole drive train is from a Renault 5 like the mk2, it really feels a gruff machine IMO now.
If it was a car for commuting in heavy traffic I'd look at something else though, mpg takes a real hit in crawling traffic. They are made for nice a/b road driving.
172 track thingy
The best road going 197 I have seen!
Mush be something up with it at that price surely!
Magnesium wheels included in that price too!
clio 182 sport
I would buy a 197 if my 182 didnt owe me so much, buy a 197 they look good and there nice inside so what if there not that quick in a straight line, the 182 isnt a rocket ship and you can always modify it later.
Knuckles
ClioSport Admin
I wish it was mine
its ben_r1s from here, afaik he's after a Megane 250. I don't think there's a catch, from what I've picked up he seems like a decent/genuine guy
I used to own a mk2 1.4 rep, and when I got my big bit job, I wanted a big boy car... I was initially looking at meg 175s, the 2.0 DCi RS, but I found out I could insure a mk3 clio for not much more.
When I first sat in it, the build quality and space was immediately miles ahead of the mk2s, and since I was due to be spending a lot of time on motorways (ill get to that soon lol) It would be a nice change.
and obviously, coming from a dinky 1.4, the 197 felt immensely quick, the thing just revved and revved, I definitely felt the kick. The main thing I noticed was how hard the suspension/recaros were! I thought my coilovered 1.4 was harsh... So I initially thought "wtf have I bought!?" Driving while needing the bog was painful. It was like being punched in the bladder every time you hit a bump, that soon wore off, as did the power (again due to the motorway).
stupidly, I bought the 197 with an impending 90 mile a day commute, which cost me ~£70 per week in fuel. I was achieving 36mpg on the motorway in steady traffic from Wigan to Wales. It was a comfy little commuter, twist the recaros back to the lounge position and cruising at 60-70 on my way there then 80+ back.
After a few months of that, it started to feel slow since it was just sat in 6th most of its life. So on the occasion I did get to take it on a blast, it again felt rapid. And after reading reviews about its cornering prowess I thought I'd see how fast and stable it could corner... I backed out well before the car, that's on budgets that came on the front. I also to iced that lots of reviews commented on how tail happy they were, I thought you had to be a decent driver to get some oversteer but I found out on a drive round north Wales with some people off here that they just like to kick their arse out. It is very easy to bring back in though... I also had a brown pants moment on a slightly damp cambered roundabout where I got a shed load of lift off oversteer, It sorted out easy enough with some throttle but bricks were genuinely shat lol, I must've looked like an utter hero, or an utter tw*t to the cars around me, I suspect i was the latter
one day on my commute I did play with a 182 from the m62 to the Wigan turn off of the m6, I seemed to have the legs on it but that could be down to it being underpowered or that he had a passenger.
once I moved closer to work and I had a few miles of roundabouts to negotiate, my mpg has dropped to around 29/30, mixed driving.
So yeah, there's my two penneth
Early 197s before the revised box did that lol
Thanks for taking the time to write up a mini review, was pretty useful/interesting actually! Im definitely leaning more towards a 197 now, I just love the look of them so much, pretty sure I want UR, but LY is a slight possibility too.. Which year did they revise the gearbox and what exactly did they do, just change the ratio in 6th?
Sir_Dave
ClioSport Trader
Its Ben_R1's. He spent about 6 grand on it at TDF last year. Told him it was a waste of money at the time lol.
And now he's looking at a 250 ...
Knuckles
ClioSport Admin
no bother, I quite enjoyed being a geek lol
Mid 2007 I think it was... Best way to check is to hold it at 70 in 6th, should be around 3.5krpm.
im not 100% sure whether they just changed 6th or them all, I forgot to mention, the gears are very, very short lol. But you can leave it in 6th from 30mph onwards which is handy.
ly is only available on the r27s, but with the r27s you get recaros and cup chassis as standard... FYI
Gaz_
ClioSport Club Member
Extreme mode
Sir_Dave
ClioSport Trader
Feel free, i cant remember the last time spent £6k modifying something to then sell it though
Unless you were in third and he was in fifth this does not happen. I've been on multiple drives, convoys etc... No mildly modified clio leaves another mildly modified or standard clio.
To "leave" another car you have to have a serious power or weight advantage.
181
Having literally a brief go in Boffey's AG 200 I would say my 182 felt faster although probably isn't, however the rest of the car is miles better. However it cost over three times as much. Can't comment on a 197 but basically just buy what you can afford or want to afford.
MK3 is definitely a step up though.
MK3 is definitely a step up though.
172, Tiguan
Last time I checked the handbrake mech was connected to the rear brakes. I don't use my handbrake through fear of it sticking (they do this a lot). In my book that makes them not up to task.
Regards the everyday comment I was merely giving a personal opinion. I do quite a lot of m/way miles and its not a great car for that. It sits at high revs and uses loads of fuel!
Sorry to critisise the mk3 Clio that's deemed untouchable, but sadly the reality is its not all that great. Don't get me wrong, it's bloody good in some areas, but there are much better cars out there. Don't hate me, I'm allowed an opinion! This is the 4th one I've had experience of. The 200 is a lot easier to live with IMO.
Regards the everyday comment I was merely giving a personal opinion. I do quite a lot of m/way miles and its not a great car for that. It sits at high revs and uses loads of fuel!
Sorry to critisise the mk3 Clio that's deemed untouchable, but sadly the reality is its not all that great. Don't get me wrong, it's bloody good in some areas, but there are much better cars out there. Don't hate me, I'm allowed an opinion! This is the 4th one I've had experience of. The 200 is a lot easier to live with IMO.
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Oh I don't dispute you might have experienced it, but all being well on both accounts it just doesn't happen.
Something definitely amiss there.
Edit: Although one persons definition of "leave" might be different to another. So that's subjective as well. Would be more accurate to state how many cars lengths you pulled, over what time period, between what speeds, in what gear.
For example - In my old 182 I got "left" by a stage 2 megane as it pulled about 10 cars lengths on me on an uphill slip road from 20-69mph* FLOL. For it to "leave" me it had approx 80bhp more!!
*based upon my in build butt speedo.
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Starlet_gt
ClioSport Club Member
VW T5.1
Really? Can't say mine drives me crazy and I've done 8k in 6 months. Depends on the person really?
gez 172
ClioSport Club Member
Defender 110
You love an arguement, said exactly the same thing to someone else on the other page.
all I'm saying, how can a Clio with just a n/a 2.0L 'drive you mad' as a daily driver?
itd hardly a 3.0 v6 with a heavy clutch or steering. Everything is light, it doesn't lack window visibility or anything? Good brakes, smooth, has all height adjustment and that for the seats.
Knuckles
ClioSport Admin
I understand a Megane r26.r being unfit as a daily for most people, but a normal clio with full interior, 4/5 seats and all the toys can't be unsuitable as a daily driver. I can't even agree with a cup packed clio being too bad for a daily, I use mine, recaros and all and it's perfect.
is your frs your daily Roy?
is your frs your daily Roy?
Because not everyone wants to be revving at 7000rpm on the motorway?
Do you drive at 140mph everywhere on the motorway or something?
172, Tiguan
Youre missing my point. It's not heavy, or hard to drive, its a load of little things that are really annoying. Terrible kangarooing on cold start (even on 98 fuel), zero power below 4k, terrible fuel consumption for what it is, steering columns made of cheese, dodgy handbrakes, boots that open themselves when water gets in, gear ratios spec'd by an idiot, brakes that require cleaning on a regular basis, need I go on?
Dont get me wrong, on a nice day, on a smooth empty road, it's bloody brilliant. Sadly for everyday use; short trips to the shop or motorway journeys, or even driving to work on a cold morning, I find it deeply flawed.
Youre more than welcome to disagree with me, but that's my opinion on it. I find I get more enjoyment from the car using it every so often rather than everyday.
Gaz_
ClioSport Club Member
Extreme mode
Different strokes init
things that would do my head in daily
motorway driving
stop start town driving. Possibly build if its being used all day everyday. As it is, mines just a weekend thing that gets beaten round back roads. Perfect.
John, Honestly a remap was one of the best things I did to mine, properly sorted the cold start behaviour. That was a fast chip one, cost about £130 all in. Brakes need a strip every year, which isn't excessive IMO?
things that would do my head in daily
motorway driving
stop start town driving. Possibly build if its being used all day everyday. As it is, mines just a weekend thing that gets beaten round back roads. Perfect.
John, Honestly a remap was one of the best things I did to mine, properly sorted the cold start behaviour. That was a fast chip one, cost about £130 all in. Brakes need a strip every year, which isn't excessive IMO?
Yes.
172, Tiguan
I don't remember having to strip brakes on any car on a regular basis before, let alone every year, is it 1960?
Mine is already remapped, so that's no good. Someone once upon a time spent a small fortune at TDF, but maybe that's the problem. Lol!
Gaz_
ClioSport Club Member
Extreme mode
Brakes are just a service item like anything else, no biggie for me. Once the pins have been copper slipped or what not they probably don't need doing annually
Aye, funny how tdf stock has fallen so low! Honestly, my cup is night and day different when cold with henks remap.
Aye, funny how tdf stock has fallen so low! Honestly, my cup is night and day different when cold with henks remap.
Knuckles
ClioSport Admin
Have I missed something with TDF? Everyone seems to hold them in disrepute, the only incident I know of was trophy 007 blowing up due to one of their techs.
Knuckles
ClioSport Admin
Cheers
181
Both of a roundabout coming off team valley up the Bowes incline if anyone if local to Newcastle.
From pretty much a standstill. 200 in front and the hills about a 30 degree gradient over 1/4 mile
I drive past him up the hill easily and was about 4 car lengths ahead at the top.
Bearing in mind he was first of the roundabout infront of me.
The weight combined with the hill may have killed it? Car was new to him from a vxr aswell so maybe he wasn't revving it
